Target inflation device with timer control



United States Patent 1111 3,536,232

[ 72] Inventor Edwin T. Llghteap [56] References Cited g ia g New Jersey UNITED STATES PATENTS [2 pp N9 77 4 2,698,496 1/1955 Miller 46/90 [2 1 Filed 32 3,426,942 2/1969 McMainsetal. 222/5 [45] i 0 3,461,835 8/1969 Cockbill etal 222/3 [73] Asslgnee Drewes International Do New Jer ey Primary ExammerSamuel F. Coleman a corporation of New Jersey Assistant Examiner-Hodd S. Lane Attorney-Curtis, Morris and Safford {54] TARGET INFLATION DEVICE WITH TIMER CONTROL 5 CMMII DIM"! ABSTRACT: A target inflation device having a housing con- [52] 0.8. CI 222/5, raining a h m r f r a mpress d gas cartridge, a hammer 216/90 actuated by an explosive squib for perforating the seal of the [51] lnt.Cl. B67b 7/24 Cartridge, a battery with a manually actuated switch and a [50] Field ofSelrch 222/70, 5, time e ay for detonating the squib at a predetermined time interval after actuation of the switch.

1 TARGET INFLATION DEVICEWITHTIMERCONTROL TARGET INFLATION'DEVICE 'lhis invention relates to a device t'or inflatingtargetsofathe inflatabletype, such as areused -byitheanned-services for training in marksmanship, alertness'iand zresponse to changingcombatsituations.

ln combat training, it has lbeen found {extremely l useful to subject the.traineesto-simulated .conibataconditions, in'which movable :targets :representing zenemy soldier's, ggun emplacements, tanks or otherivehicles,appear'suddenly'withinifiring range in orderto test andiimp'rovethe trainees reactiontime andrthe accuracy of their gunfire DHdCl' COfldlllOflS ofastre's's. For optimum results, not .only ;the (time but also :the place where =;the :target will appear :must be aunp'redic'table by the trainees. Thus .a training field ihaving mechanicall movable targets operable ifroin predetermined locatio'ns cannot ?be reused for ethe same trainees and has only limited draining value.

lt-is therefore among the object's'ofit'he present invention to provide a device for inflating targets of theinflatable type, which may -be.;placed at any :loc'ati'omin the training area and which is entirely .se'll' contained, requiring -no external wiring HQ. 3 is a side .e'levationa'l view, at reduced scale, showing the device of FIGS. 1 and Zfollow'ing inflation of an inflatable target thereby.

The illustrative device shown in the drawing comprises a housing formed to provide a pair of cylindrical chambers 12 for receiving a pair of compressed gas cylinders 14, for example the small carbon dioxide cartridges used in carbonated water dispensers. These cartridges 14 are axially slidable into and out of the chambers 12 and are held in position therein by removable screw caps 16 which seal the outer ends of the chambers 12 against the escape of gas.

The inner ends of the cartridges 14 bear against the ends of helical compression springs 18 whose opposite ends bear against hammers 20 which are supported for longitudinal sliding movement in the chambers 12, with their outer faces nor= mally abutting shoulders at the inner ends of the chambers. The hammers 20 are provided at their inner faces with spikes 200 which are positioned in axial alignment with the seals at the inner ends of the cartridges 1 but which are normally held in spaced relation to the seals by the springs 18.

The portions of the chambers 12 between the cartridges 1 and hammers 20 communicate" through a transverse passageway into a tubular nipple 26 which is mounted in the housing 10 and which, as shown in FIGS. 1 and; 3, projects from its upper face in position for attaching thereto the mouth of an inflatable target 28.

The inner ends of the chambers- 12 are connected to another transverse passageway 24 which also communicates with the nipple 26 and with a firing: chamber 30 containingarr explosive charge or squib 32, for example of bl'aclrpowder. Embedded in the squib 32 are a pair of wires 34 and 36 which extend througha third transverse passageway which is sealed against the percussive-force ofthe squib' 3 2' by a: sealin'g c'orng pound 40, and into a power cavity f closed by a plate 42 removably secured to'the-housing' 1 0' by screwsfli-The power cavity contains a battery 44, a switch 6 and an adjustabletime delay. element flil'hc wi're' M-lsconnected'to' the'n'eg'utive terminal or metal case of the'battery; whilethe wire'36' is connected to its positivecentralteiminahthrough the switch and time delay-element inseiiesllhe contacts 46a and 46b-.of.'the switch 46 are spring u'rged towa'rd conductive eni'ga'g'ement-"butiare normally 'hld'in sepaiated, 'nb'nconductive :rela'tion" bya safety pin sll whihis remo vabl'ysc rewe'd into the housin'g' lowi'th its inner en's-30a of insulating material interglposed between theswit'ch contacts 46a ano46b.

Toactuate the device,the;pin '5i) is unscrewed and removed fromthehousing ll), allowing theswitch-contacts "46a and 46b tozclo's'e. After the-.desired'timedelay; as determined by the adjustable "time delay element 48, the voltage of the battery '44 appears across'theconductdrs3 1M636 within the squib 32, detonating the squib 32 a'nd creating an "explosive pressure which drivesthe'harnmers. D'outwardly 'again'st the resistance efine-springs P 118, causing thespikes l'ba'to=perf6rate"the seals rattheinne'r' ends df'the'ea ridges l4. The'gas within the cartiid'g'es isthusfallo'w'e to-eiipand,th'rough'thepassageways bland 4 and nipp'l'e-i26,*hito the inflatable target 2 8,rapidly ini'lating it. y

is will be understood, these devices ma be rapidly placed is't "random locatio'ns in a training area, for example by dropping them frdin'a helicopter. After a desiredtime interval 'suflicienttto "allow trainees to "move "into the area, the devices willheactuated-automatically to'inflate' the target's a't'rando'm intervals, t'husggiving thetrainees the realistic sensation "of the sudden appearanceofenemy units within their'firin'g range.

Following such a training session, the -d'v'ics may be retrieved and repared for reuse by replacing the cartridges in, the safet pin so, and the squib 32. The battery 34 may alsobe checked and rejp'laeed if necessary.

The housing To; being formed principally "of a solid block, for example 'of 'meta l, such as brass, is extremely ru ged. The chambers and passageways may be for en therein by drilling or, for greater economy in large volume production, by casting. For ease of fabiieation and service, each of th'e'cha'inbers and passageways terminates in an opening in one ofthe's'ides ofthe housing '10, with these openin sbe'ing' normally closed off by removable, ga's tight screw caps 32.

it will be .apparen't'thai various modifications may be made in the specific illusti'ative embodiment disclosed without'departi'ng from the principles of the invention. For example, the

' size and shape of the inflatable target and the likenesses printed t he'r'e on are readily changeable to simulate various types of hostile personnel or equipment. The number and size of the gas cylinders may 'alsobe changed. The electricaltime del'a'y' device illustrated may be replaced by a fuse, for example. And the battery may be replaced by a condenser charged from an external power source.

lclaim:

1; An inflation device for an inflatable t'a'r'g'et, comprising a housing, at least one chamber in said housing for receiving a compressed gas cylinder, a movable hammer 'atone end of said chamber for perforating the seal on said gas cartridge, an explosive charge for actuating said hammer; an electrical source in said housing, time delay iiieans in said housing activated by said electrical source to detonate said explosive charge at a predetermined time interval after su h activation, and actuate jsaid' hammer to perforate said seal, a nipple on said housing for engaging ne mouthof an inflatable target, a

passageway conneetin saiu chamber with said nipple for'cor'iducting the expanding gas from" said gas cartridge into said inflatable target. 1

2". An inflation device housing, at least one cylindrical chamber in said housin'g'for slidably receiving a compressed gas cylinder inserted axially therein, a cap at the outer end" of saidchamber removably engaging said housing for sealing-said chamber but permitting insertion and removal of said cylinder, a hammer mountedat the inner end of said chamber for'siiding movement longitudinally of said chamber into perforating engagementwith a sealiatthe inner endor' said cylinder, a'com'piession' spring interpo'sed b'etweentsaid cylinder" and said hum'rner for holding them in normally separated-relation a-nip le on said housing for an inflatable target, comprising a for engaging the mouth of. an inflatable target, a passageway 7 connecting the inner end of said chamber with said nipple, a

firing chamber in said housing communicating with "said passageway, an explosive charge in said firing chamber, a battery in said housing, switch means in said housing electrically connected to said battery, time delay means in said housing connecting said battery through said switch means to said explosive charge to detonate said explosive charge a'predetermined time after closure of said switch means and'move said hammer against the resistance of said spring to perforate said comprises a pair ofsw'itch contacts springurged toward con- 1 ducting engagement with afiring pin removably engaging said housing and normally holding contacts in spaced, nonconductive relation. s a

4. A device as d escribedin claim i in 'which saidhbusing is formed of a solid block recessed m form saidcylindrical chamber, said firing chamber and said passageway.

5. A deviceas described in claim? 4 in which said battery is contained in a cavity inz said, block closed by'a removable plate. 

